


these stars do not tell our story

by lazy_kitkat



Series: have we the audacity to chase tomorrow? [5]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Minecraft Youtubers (Video Blogging RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Banter, Confusion, Crushes, Denial of Feelings, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Pirates, Quiet, Stargazing, dteamweek2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26556607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazy_kitkat/pseuds/lazy_kitkat
Summary: Day 5: Pirates & Stargazing“You’ve been warned,” He let his hand curl around the other’s, making a surprised noise when the nobleman pulled him closer and positioned their hands in the correct position, “If at any point during this encounter we end up alone together, don’t expect to be able to call for help.”“If at any point during this encounter we end up alone together,” George murmured as he guided them into the crowded dance floor, their hips swaying to the song, “Don’t expect to leave without being a little fond of me. I’ve been told I leave a lasting impression.”(Where there's a new member on board and Dream has to get used to the feelings that come with the new idiot.)
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: have we the audacity to chase tomorrow? [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864369
Comments: 13
Kudos: 438
Collections: Dream Team Week 2020, like i said DONE BABY





	these stars do not tell our story

**Author's Note:**

> Quick reminder, if Dream Team or anyone in my fics express that fanfiction makes them uncomfortable and they’d rather it not be published, I will take this down.
> 
> Other than that, enjoy~

The ship was rocking, the waves cradling her side to side as they crashed against her hull. The spruce planks creaked softly under his weight and the winds frolic with the sails, mast standing proudly among the other boats parked in the docks. There was a bustle of people; sneaky hand-offs, swindling of the market and the occasional drunken slur being screamed across the street to anyone childish enough to respond. A zephyr, a kiss from the waves, flew through the town and made hats fly and dresses twirl, the squawking of gulls laughing at its antics.

“Fucking wind,” Sapnap cursed next to him as he struggled to pin down papers that covered half the table, the parchment wishing to fly away, “Dream, don’t just stand there- help me.”

Dream didn’t move, watching his first mate fail miserably with a fondness he didn’t want. The shorter male tried to kick him when he laughed and he eventually pulled out a small pocket knife, thrusting downward into the corner of the paper and into the wooden table. It fell into silence, as if it had died, and Sapnap took a step back with relief relaxing his shoulders.

“This is bloody detailed, who’d you nick it from?” His fingers ran against the fine penmanship and expensive ink and his voice was muffled behind the bandanna he wore to cover the bottom half of his face. 

“Man from the inside,” The other man dismissed, “A friend, but don’t tell him I said that.”

The parchment was a map, lines of different thicknesses running in straight angles and sharp corners. He traced the drawn walls lightly as if it would smudge if he were to press too hard and his lips mimed the cursive labels. Vault, ballroom, he took careful note of the five entrances, fifteen exits if he counted the windows. There were dotted lines for hallways hidden behind a bookshelf or rug and arrows pointing to places they weren’t allowed to give a visit; places greedy hands wouldn’t be able to resist.

“He’s good,” Dream murmured, “We need a cartographer y’know.”

It was a blueprint, intricate layout of the mansion owned by this year’s host for the Sidious ball. The Sidious ball was just another fancy-dress party for nobles who had no better way to waste their time but to drown themselves in the richest of wines and throw gold and diamonds at each other. It was also the perfect opportunity to pickpocket a few entitled youths and a couple of posh dickheads.

“It might take some convincing but I’ll see what strings I can pull, Cap’n,” Sapnap grinned, almost simmering in excitement, “But eyes on the prize tonight.”

It’s been a while since his crew had pulled a heist, pirates often sticking to the coasts and oceans but that was the magic of it. No one would expect them. Thrill ran through him, sending a shiver down his spine and he cracked a smile under the bandanna.

“Stay on course,” He warns and the other salutes him.

~

The suit, even though it fit in all the right places, felt like it was suffocating him. The frills and puffs made it hard to move any faster than walking and he thinks he could kill someone if he threw his shoes at them. Nobles, silver blessed faces, dined around them in the extravagant silks and tall heels with their noses in the air and a glass of vintage wine. The orchestra played something slow and elegant, something which Dream wished he could dance to- at least then he could dance the night away as their schemes unfolded. 

“He’s cute,” Sapnap nudged his arm, gesturing to a lone man with the most ridiculous goggles he’d ever seen with the tilt of his chin, “You should say hi.”

“What? Isn’t he the son of the prick hosting this gala?” The taller boy sent the other an incredulous stare, “We’re here to borrow a few grand from him, not kiss his arse.”

“Yeah, but he’s cute. And he’s been looking your way all night.” His first mate pushed him to where the man stood and Dream had to squash down the irritation rising in him, “Don’t look at me like that- maybe you can get him to open up or something.”

With one final push, Sapnap left him alone in a sea of untitled chatter. He stood awkwardly, ignoring the giggling of younger ladies whose skirts trailed behind them, ignoring the clinking of glasses filled with a wine he could not stand. The mob started to split and pair up, the fiddle and piano calling for the start of a new song which he was sure would be just as unbearable as the last. Groomed satin and exotic silks, emerald cuffs and diamond jewellery, quiet madam’s and fake courtesies twirled around him as the figures started to dance to the music. He did not belong here and he most definitely did not know what he should do. He glanced at the grand clock that ticked in its heartbeat above the exit and counted the hours till midnight, till the heist. Two more hours, he frowned surly to himself.

“ _ Fuck you Sapnap _ ,” Dream jumped at the voice, posh and of an accent only from these parts, “That’s what your face is saying.”

He glared at the smug face before him, eyes acknowledging the goggles that were rested in his tamed hair, a little too big and definitely too much of a commoner’s accessory to be worn at such an elite event. The stranger, the same one who his first mate had insisted he’d talked to, smiled as he took a sip of his glass and his eyes never left the pirate.

“How do you know-”

“It is most unfortunately a universal truth,” The stranger beckoned for a servant, “That those in the presence of that idiot for longer than an hour, develop that face.”

His voice was higher than Dream expected it to be and it grated him when the other pronounced his words with a haughtiness that had become the dialect for the wealthy. He was shorter than the pirate and he dismissed their server with a cold indifference which irked him even more.

“Who are you?” He tread carefully, one wrong move could blow up their operations and have his crew sent straight to jail which in Sapnap’s words, they were too pretty for.

“All this planning and you don’t bother to learn the names of your target? I was expecting more from the Green Bastard,” The stranger took a step forward with the click of his tongue, “The bandanna is a giveaway.”

“And your goggles look stupid,” He bit back coolly, levelling the other with a single glance, “Now, what does a spoilt prat such as yourself need from little ol’ me, sir George Henry-”

“George will do,” Amusement decorated the other’s softer features, “What I want? A dance.”

Dream searched for the traces of a joke, a stupid prank but he was greeted only by a waiting hand and infuriating smirk. He could say no but to have a noble roam free and tattle to any of the other guests would be like kissing month’s load of wealth goodbye. But they would stand out, the sight of an eligible bachelor slow dancing with another man would spread rumours faster than a wildfire. 

“With a criminal? Wouldn’t you be better off calling for help?”

“What can I say? I’m rebelling.”

“You’ve been warned,” He let his hand curl around the other’s, making a surprised noise when the nobleman pulled him closer and positioned their hands in the correct position, “If at any point during this encounter we end up alone together, don’t expect to be able to call for help.”

“If at any point during this encounter we end up alone together,” George murmured as he guided them into the crowded dance floor, their hips swaying to the song, “Don’t expect to leave without being a little fond of me. I’ve been told I leave a lasting impression.”

His face was annoying, looking annoyingly pleased with himself and it was annoyingly close so he looked down to his shoes, trying to mirror the other and not stumble over himself. Maybe it was just him but the pirate felt subtle glances sent their way and he swore there was a chatter jumping from person to person, directed at them. He furrowed his brow and bit his lower lip, concentrating solely on the rhythm of the band and the shuffling of fancy footwork, and tried his very best not to snap at the nobleman who held him with an ease he couldn’t help but envy for.

Then George stepped on his foot.

“Ow-what was that for?” Dream hissed and the shorter man smiled like the devil.

“Eyes on me,” he tilted his head to the side and he put a pinkie against the cloth that covered Dream’s lips, “What’s the point of asking you to dance with me if you spend all your time trying not to look like an idiot?”

“An idiot? You’re calling one of the most wanted thieves in the world an idiot?”

“If it helps, you’re the most handsome idiot I’ve danced with in a while.”

“Shouldn’t you be worried that you’re about to be robbed penniless?”

“Maybe,” George leaned in as Dream leaned back, eyes fluttering almost theatrically, “No, not really.”

“I don’t think I enjoy your company very much,” he scowled as the other man laughed, “Not at all.”

“Give it some time-oh would you look at that,” George looked past him, “Half an hour till midnight. Sap is waiting for us.”

The other man chuckled, dragging Dream through the crowds, and refused to let go of his hand which the pirate had learned were soft against his own palm but the other’s fingers were rough and calloused from fickle labour.

“Us? What do you mean, us?”

~

They left the party, melodies and vibrant chatter fading softly as George led the pirate through ornate hallways which he had memorised from the map Sapnap had gotten from his friend- which he now had to assume was the nobleman before him. Tapestries, woven from silk threads and framed by gold and gem studs. Chandeliers, none as grand as the one in the ballroom, let shadows dance around them as they walked past trophies and paintings. Dream scoffed as the other took a sharp turn left, knowing full on that the plan was to rendezvous with the rest of his crew first.

“Where are you going?” The other’s soft voice pricked his ears when he didn’t follow and he paused.

“Anywhere if it means getting away from you,” He smiled nastily, his lips still covered by his bandanna, but it turned into a surly scowl when the other raised his brows, “I don’t know what Sapnap told you, but we planned a meet-up in the south wing.”

The nobleman’s mouth was in a small ‘o’ and he shook his head, “But this is faster.”

“And?”

“I- why wouldn’t you head straight to the vault.”

“Look, I don’t know why you’re doing this or how Pandas knows you,” Dream glared at him, “But this is my crew, my heist.”

“Don’t get your knickers twisted,” George passed him off nonchalantly and he grabbed the pirate’s arm, tugging him towards him. He towered over the other but the nobleman seemed unnerved and gestured to Dream to follow him. When the taller man didn’t move, stubbornly planting his feet in the embroidered carpet, he sighed, “I’m not the enemy.”

“Sure.” He replied slowly, “Nobleman, who I’m supposed to be robbing, appears out of nowhere as my knight in shining armour? I should probably get rid of you.”

“So cold.” 

“Am I wrong?”

“A mere change of plans, father dearest had the security for our central bank lightened,” He hummed unfazed and it frustrated the pirate in a way he didn’t understand, “Hope you brought extra crates.”

It was a simple play; a trick Dream saw through as if it were glass and he knew that the other was aware. Raising the fruits of this heist with a second vault, that was enough to make any good thief hungry for a few thousand more gold. Trust this stranger? For a wealth that they could live off for the next couple of months? He watched George’s face, smug and cool, and his own hand twitched to his blade as he met brown eyes with a predatory glare. 

“I don’t trust you.”  _ I will kill you. _

The other’s fingers fumbled with the ends of his sleeve but he didn’t step back when Dream took a slow stride forward, the difference between their heights becoming clearer. A threat, silent and cold, and the nobleman tilted his chin upwards slightly and his lips curled up. His eyes glanced to the pistol in the pirate’s holster, the dull metal seeming almost menacing in the dimly lit room.

“Hope you’re good with that pistol.”  _ I know. _

~

“Who the hell is he?”

Sapnap looked up from where he was helping Alyssa load the crates aboard the ship and was greeted by a red-faced pirate. Behind him, the nobleman strolled calmly with a smile on his face and his first mate groaned.

“Georgie, I told you to have a good first impression.” 

“I promise you, I was on my best behaviour” The smile on the shorter man’s lips hadn’t left yet, even when Sapnap punched his shoulder playfully, and he looked at the dozen of crates that Dream’s crew was currently loading under the midnight sky, “I’d say tonight was a success.”

“Why are you still here?” Dream growled, refusing to look at the other, “Sap, get rid of him. He followed me home and he’s annoying.”

His first mate merely laughed at him, patting his head awkwardly, “You said we needed a cartographer.”

“This prat? He nearly shot me when the guards chased us out gates- it’s his fault the guards started chasing us in the first place.”

He was slightly out of breath, whether it was due to the few miles they had just run to lose the guards after them or the frustration that wanted to scream inside him. Sure, the heist had gone better than he had planned for it to go. Sure, the nobleman didn’t betray them and was half-competent with a pistol. But the irritation that seeped into every word he threw at the other, growing exponentially larger when the other opened his mouth was not worth it.

“Still a bad shot?” Sapnap dismissed Dream as if he weren’t there and turned to the nobleman with a teasing glint.

“I’m a brilliant shot,” George bit back and the masked pirate could feel eyes on him, “I just got distracted.”

“Gross.” His first mate gagged.

“Don’t call true love gross, Sappitus.” He fluttered his lashes theatrically and his voice was higher, almost mocking.

“Can we throw him overboard?” Dream asked and his nails scratch impatiently against the metal surface of his gun, “I don’t think I can stand him any longer.”

“Someone’s blood-thirsty,” Sapnap muttered under his breath, “I dunno, it’s your call Cap’n but I want to keep him. He’s a cutie.”

He stood between the pirate and the nobleman, facing Dream. Please, he seemed to say as he guarded George almost protectively, resolve set in stone, please. The taller man scowled, brows furrowing and he glanced at the nobleman one more time and then his first mate.

“Fine,” He gritted out, watching his crewmate- best friend’s eyes light up, “But one wrong move and the sharks can have him.”

~

He, unfortunately, did not find a reason to throw George overboard.

Every taunt, every snap of the tongue, bark waiting for a bite was answered with an infuriating smile, annoying fit of giggles and smug eyes. The nobleman wasn’t fazed when Dream threatened to leave him with an arm less and didn’t bat an eye when Dream shot slurs and curses his way. He said things, things that Dream didn’t understand, didn’t want to understand. He said them without an ounce of shame, nonchalant to the way Dream’s heart twisted and his stomach sank, indifferent to what he did to the pirate. The nobleman looked at him differently to how he looked at Sapnap, different to how he looked at anyone else aboard the ship.

He didn’t understand.

“Don’t hide your face,” George mumbled beside him when he covered his face in his fit of laughter at something Ponk had said, “You look nice.”

“You can’t even see my face,” Dream growled, light-hearted manner growing sour as his cheeks flushed red. George stared at him- another thing he’d wish the nobleman would stop doing. Whenever the pirate walked into a room, the other’s eyes followed him unabashedly and refused to leave him. He didn’t know how to feel about that, it felt as if the shorter man was trying to pry open a box he shouldn’t because if he did, Dream would be left vulnerable and weak.

“Stop it,” he mumbled as the rim of his tankard touched his lips, mead warming his throat, and the other focused on his maps again. He was talented, the pirate thought as he watched the man switch between charcoal and ink, he’d give George that much. Sapnap was right when he said the man was a good cartographer. Straight lines ran over gridded parchment and a fancy compass lingered in the corner of the page. Seas and its currents, winds and their speeds, stars and their guiding- the cartographer had them all.

“Hypocrite, you’re the one staring now,” He didn’t look up from his work but Dream could tell he was smiling, “Can’t stay away, can you?”

“Can’t shut up, can you?” He snapped back, quickly tearing his eyes off the man. A soft chuckle filled his ears and his heart stung. He didn’t even know why the other was here, on a creaky ship filled with criminals when he could be lavished in luxury. He didn’t know how the other said such ridiculous things to someone he barely knew and he didn’t know why.

Dream didn’t understand what George meant with his words and he didn’t understand the side glances and lingering looks. He didn’t understand the fading touches and secretive smiles.

He didn’t understand George and as he stood up, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to.

~

“We’ll head north, the floating market should be open by the time we reach the coast.” He faced his crew, a map behind him, as he readjusted his bandana, “Callahan, I want you to do a stock check, what we can sell and what we can barter off.”

“Doesn’t Soot monopolise that market, he’s in cahoots with Techno- you sure we want to waste time taking care of ‘em?”

Dream hummed, his nails scratching against the wooden table, and he leaned over Sapnap who was focused on the maps laid in a scattered mess. It would definitely be a risk, Wilbur Soot, despite being as flirtatious and cryptic as they could come, somehow had his loyalties won by the great pig of the sea. With his own rivalry against the other pirate, they’d have to be careful and it would probably be best to try slip into the market with as much subtlety a full-blown ship could muster. He knew his crew could handle the others just fine, but they were only going to fill up their stomachs with silvers and hopefully gold and the pirate really wasn’t in the mood to start up another war.

“Wilbur? He ran away.” George mumbled under his breath, “Got tired of being nobility and left without a word. His lady made a big fuss over it too. The floating market is overrun by the Guards now.”

Guards, the bane of every criminal’s existence, were a group of incompetent, brainless idiots who spent every second they had in failure. Their duty was to maintain order in anarchist states with no government, hindering every step of pirates at sea and chaining the hands of a thief in black markets. The only thing Dream thought they were good for was boosting his own ego whenever he single-handedly destroyed a whole mob or when the bounty they declared for him was raised. (He was pretty sure it was nine million as of now.)

“Why would Soot leave? Techno needs him to man that market.”

“Politics? There’s been word for some sort of revolution.”

The pirate scowled under his bandana, turning to face the map, eyes darting around the elegant sketches and faint grid lines. He heard the nobleman- now cartographer whisper something quietly into Sapnap's ear as he tried to find a pattern, some sort of route they could take to avoid detection. 

“We’ll come in from the eastern docks, the night should keep us hidden when the sun sets-”

“It’ll be too close,” The cartographer interrupted him, “With the course we’re on right now, breaking away from the currents we’re following is going to be almost impossible. Let’s not forget the signs for a coming storm-no, unless you want to capsize it’ll be safer to ride out the natural route and steer into the western docks.”

“The Guards patrol those docks, it’s a risk we’re going to have to take,” Dream dismissed without looking at the shorter man, leaning against his desk. 

“There will be hundreds of ships entering the harbour, we can blend in with others,” George frowned, “We don’t need to risk it.”

“The best way to blend in is to stand out.” The pirate gestured for Sapnap to pass him the maps.

“That is terrible advice.”

“You clearly have better ideas.”

“Play nice,” Sapnap muttered, a fond smile playing on his lips. The nobleman’s eyes lingered on the maps and small pins which marked their course, face set in frustration as the pirate dismissed his words and carried on. He didn’t press on, the taller man realised, the other didn’t try to bait his chest into going wonky for once. There was no snappy quick, arrogant smirk or stupid one liner- only dark bags and pale skin marked by exhausted creases. He wondered if the other had been sleeping well, nights out on the sea being nothing like the steadiness of the land.

Maybe Dream should feel a bit of remorse, a bit sympathetic. Afterall, everyone aboard his ship was there for a reason, some he knew, some he didn’t. Whether it was to run away to hear the song of the ocean, to drown in fantasies of gold and diamonds or dance with the wind under the moon, every member of his crew was here for something bigger than their lives before they stepped onto the planks. 

“Goodnight,” The cartographer wished them as he stood up to retire to his cabin. He didn’t look back at them, stumbling over himself as he seemed to zone out. Dream ignored him, deciding to focus on reports and stock records Callahan had brought up. He heard his first mate share the sentiment before turning to catch the attention of another crew member. Maybe he should have a crewmate see that the newest member reached their cabin in one piece. Maybe he should be worried about the other’s obvious insomnia which entailed vigilant nights and hazed noons. 

Maybe. Everyone aboard on his ship was here for a reason and it was no different for George, he was sure of it, but in all honesty, he really didn’t care.

~

A ship stuck at sea was a bit like dancing to a song with no conductor, with no melody. The waves were the drums, crashing against the smooth oak too hard and shattering what should be a steady anchor to the ensemble. The winds howl like a woodwind awfully out of tune and its musician blowing life into it too hard as it squealed and shrivelled. The mob of dark clouds rumbled low, flashing the occasional light and letting out a roar when their ears were in too much pain. The ship rocked side to side, left to right, and if Dream wasn’t so used to the unusual choreography, he’d be falling over his own feet.

The deck was wet, most of his crew under the safety of the cabins. The sails spread its wings and pulled at the riggings dangerously but he had no doubt that they would hold faithfully. Beside him, George held tightly onto the railings, knuckles white as his knees shook, and he looked like he would keel over any moment. The taller pirate had delegated some errand to the cartographer, well aware of the other’s terrible sea-sickness and the tumultuous rocking that came with a storm. Usually he’d let the other suffer alone but Sapnap had kicked him out of his quarters to make sure the shorter man hadn’t thrown himself overboard.

_ If you’re going to be ass, you can at least make sure he comes back in one piece. _

“I hate you so much,” George moaned pitifully and he had to stop walking, “How are you doing that?”

“What? Walking?” Dream scoffed, irritation crawling slowly up his spine with each time the other made them stop, “You need me to hold your hand?”

“Please. And maybe don’t let go-”

The older pirate looked up to the sky, blue skies covered in swarms of grey and black, and frowned. The storm wasn’t supposed to be this bad, this quick to hit them since they were supposed to be safely in the harbour before it came. At this rate, if they hadn’t changed course and let the storm carry them to the harbour, they would have been lost, or worse capsized. He refused to say this out loud, painfully ignoring the stupidly smug grin on George when he gave out the order to tack the sails westward.

Never would he admit George was right, no way was the stupid cartographer getting that satisfication.

He heard a yelp and then a loud thump, turning just in time to see the shorter man fall head-first onto the floor.The man refused to look at him but his face was the loveliest shade of purple and the blond pirate doubled over in laughter, hands covering his mouth to make sure his bandanna didn’t slip.

“I have fallen,” The nobleman made no moves to get up on his feet, “I’ve fallen for you-”

“Don’t you dare.”

~

Invading forces, dressed in red vests and golden button ups, most of them holding longswords as if they had never done so before. Dream clicked his tongue, eyes darting for a solution through the masses of vile profanities and ill-kept faces, and he made sure to keep his crew within his sight. Sapnap and Punz led a few others onto the upper deck and jumped behind a group of aimless grunts as the other half of his crew lingered around their captain, waiting for his word. Sudden thuds and unbalanced footing let him dance through the crowds agilely as every bullet missed him and every blade only came close to winning his bounty of ten million.

“Punz!” he bellowed, his lungs screaming, “Lead the others to the grunts. Sapnap, you’re with me.”

Sapnap grinned wickedly, licking his lips hungrily. He joined Dream seamlessly, without a hiccup, and the taller man relaxed with his first mate now watching his back. They didn’t want corpses on their ship. Whether it be one of their enemy or one of their own, no one wanted to linger on the oceans haunted by the odour of a dead man’s body. They could throw the bodies off board but if they stayed in the same spot for too long, they could possibly attract sharks.

Their best option was to instead make the others surrender, overwhelm them until they had no choice but to leave. Shooting the cannons this close wouldn’t be desirable, the rebound from firing could send both ships sinking in the middle of nowhere. They needed to get away before the other crew thought of sabotage, whether it be ripping the sails or dismantling the rudder and floorboards. If they could sail away on time and then push the invaders off the deck, leaving the survivors to drown or float, they’d be in the clear.

“They have us hooked,” Sapnap elbowed an incoming pirate, pivoting around his front leg, and bringing the bulky man down with a spin kick. Dream nodded, climbing onto the railings and leaped off onto the lower deck. He saw metal grappling hooks, rusty on the claws ripping into the wooden planks and growled when he spotted the other ship to have their anchor down so that his ship wouldn’t be able to pull them along.

“Dream- leave the clasps to me,” George was by his side, carelessly throwing spare ammo at the masked pirate, “Watch my back.”

The hooks were below the railing that stopped people from falling off and he wondered how the cartographer planned to reach them. The shorter man brought out a rope, tying a weak knot around one of the bars and the other end which was linked to his belt.  _ He’s bad _ , Dream thought mindlessly to himself as George fumbled with the knot a third time and finished with an abysmal attempt,  _ someone needs to teach him _ .

The nobleman nodded, leaping off and abseiled cautiously till he reached the level of the hooks. The blond loaded his pistol, warily making sure no one would shoot the suspended man as Sapnap made sure no invaders jumped behind him. He eyed the knot, loosening and tightening as the ship rocked under the parade of a hundred feet, and waited to see the wire trapping his crew be released.

“Careful you idiot,” He yelled, when a grappling hook fell and the sharp, metal wire nearly sliced off George’s limbs. The other sent him a shaky smile, gesturing to the pirate to raise him.

“There’s another one there,” George shouted in his face, eyes high with adrenaline which quickly dimmed when Dream winced at the volume. When he mumbled a quick apology, the taller man shook his head in dismissal and quickly untied the knot. He grinned back at the cartographer who’s face lit up and they ran to the next hook. Sapnap joined them, chest heaving as he ignored the exhaustion that lingered in his body.

“Swap,” He mumbled to his captain, resting against the railing as Dream handed over the pistol in favour for his melee. He joined the array, his own heavy footsteps joining the percussion of others. Blades were swung with the intention to survive and that was their mistake. The pirate observed their faces filled with fear and the determination to not die, each parry, each lunge made so that they could say the next day. They weren’t fighting to win, not anymore with their crew growing smaller with every minute. But Dream was.

He kicked an enemy on his left, causing him to make the uniformed men behind him tumble like dominoes. Bodies fall to his feet, some with fatal wounds of dying red, others with their hearts still beating but minds asleep. Alyssa yelled from among the crowd, mobbed by a crowd of simple-minded cowards who thought they could take on a girl. He didn’t make a move to help, he knew his crew was capable and if she truly needed help, Callahan lingered closer. A stranger managed to get a lucky punch and made him stumble as his cheek started to sting and his eyes went blurry on instinct. His jaw hurts and it’s a bit painful to breathe through his mouth but he exacts his revenge with a side kick in the stomach.

He heard a snap, similar to when George cut the wire before and grinned. The ship became restless, uneasy without the other as it’s anchor and Dream didn’t bother to worry when he pushed a stranger off the railings.  _ If he’s a pirate _ , Dream thought to himself, watching an invader scream as he fell,  _ he’d be able to swim _ . 

He was distracted, high on a victory that wasn’t his to claim just yet. 

He didn’t hear the footsteps charging behind him, he didn’t hear Sapnap’s cry to move and he didn’t hear the click of a gun. He was suddenly pushed to the side by broader shoulders, just in time for a golden bullet to barely miss him. Not enough time for it to miss his first mate who bellowed when the bullet lodged itself in his shoulder. He fell to the ground, blood staining his clothes and seeping out onto the hands that clutched tightly against the wound.

Dream saw red and the rest was a blur.

~

He couldn’t fall asleep.

Usually the rocking of the ship lulled him to a quiet unconsciousness but today he was as restless as the ocean. His cabin creaked around him uneasily and he lifted himself off the bed and quietly made his way to the dock. He was tired, fatigue threatening to make his legs drop dead and the aching in his shoulders hurt tenfold as he forced himself to walk into the dark night. 

_ Sapnap would be fine _ , he had to remind himself while he played with the loose ends of his own bandages,  _ he would be fine _ . His first mate had suffered worse, escaping death even when he had been shot right under his heart or nearly losing his leg to poison. He knew the other was strong, he knew the other would make it out alive breathing as easily as ever. But it didn’t stop the mass of guilt that hung over Dream, pulling him down in shame with every step. His stomach felt empty as his hands jittered nervously whenever he looked back at Sapnap’s cabin and he couldn’t bring himself to come back in. If only he had been paying attention, if only he was so busy being a careless idiot.

The pirate shook his head, knowing full well that what had been done could not change no matter how hard he willed it to. He leaned against the railing and let the soft gales blow in his face, his own blond hair waving around as if it had its own mind and he feels as if he can keep his eyes open a little longer, stand without collapsing a little longer.

It took him a while to realise he wasn’t alone. 

He heard a quill scratch against rough parchment and the shallow breath of another. In the corner of his eye, he noticed the nobleman, ignoring Dream completely as all his attention was mesmerized by the night sky and its little lights. George, he’d recognise those stupid goggles anywhere and his first instinct was to sneer to the other to get lost but he dismissed it, too exhausted to really do anything.

George looked paler and his shoulders were stiff. It didn’t seem like he had slept, nor that he planned to. He looked closer at the other’s hands, bandages covering wounds cut open by the wires they had to untie during the day. Their eyes met and the pirate was surprised to see the same haunted face smile grimly at him. He scoffed, tilting his chin in the opposite direction, and he was sure that he could hear the other let out a fond laugh.

He could feel the other’s gaze on him, staring him down expectantly and Dream had to push down the need to flip him off. He didn’t want to fight so he stepped away, offering a temporary truce that didn’t need to be spoken and waited for the other to turn back to what he was doing. George cautiously returned to whatever doodle he was preoccupied with and the pirate distracted himself with the sound of the sea. 

Some nights were better off in silence anyways.

~

Dream liked to break things.

In his cabin, there was a bookshelf tucked against the wall and next to the door. On the dark oak shelves, there were a mismatch of items displayed like the toy boat he stole off a noble man’s son, the grand pistol he bought for half its price and the most expensive watch he had ever laid his eyes on. There were more and he had dismantled each item at least once, pulling apart the mechanics and metal scraps, only to put it back together. It gave him a satisfaction he didn’t need to understand when he watched cogs click against each other like missing halves mere minutes after he had split them apart.

The pirate furrowed his brow, fiddling with the parts of a compass he had found lying around, and was careful not to snap the needle. The circular device let out a groan and he scowled when a screw refused to go in where he needed it to. He had been at this for hours, busying himself so he could try to stop his mind from lingering to Sapnap who couldn’t even pick up his sword. It didn’t usually take him so long to deconstruct and reconstruct these things, especially not a mere compass, but his nerves were a jumbled mess and his mind couldn’t rest still.

“That piece, I think it’s too big.” The cartographer’s voice made him jump and Dream smacked his fists against the table when a joint fell apart. The other man laughed quietly, walking closer to the blond’s desk and placing to the side a few piles of paper. When he looked up, George smiled- the awkwardly confident one which irritated him, and he pouted sullenly.

“Maps you asked for last week,” The nobleman answered his expectant look, “I thought I’d drop them by, check up on how you’re doing.”

“Better than you at least,” Dream grumbled, taking note of the dark bags that the shorter man wore almost proudly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I look as stunning as always.”

“Stunning?” He scoffed, gently placing the small screws in his hand, “Whatever lets you sleep at night.”

“You,” George mumbled, a grin slowly taking place on his stupid face as Dream ignored the urge to knock him out, “Here, let me help.”

Dream hit away the cartographer’s hand when it came close to the pieces. He didn’t need help, who could do something as simple as putting a compass together himself. Even if he did need help, he wouldn’t ask the nobleman for it, not when he had a whole crew that didn’t annoy him half as much. The other rolled his eyes at Dream’s protectiveness over the scattered pieces, swiftly reaching out for the needle but he didn’t get too far.

“Hands off,” He hit them away again and frowned when George grabbed hold of his wrist with his brows raised.

“Idiot, let me help.”

“Why?”

Resignation made the nobleman close his eyes in frustration, his lips counting to himself before he opened them again. He stared down at Dream, equally matching the pirate’s stubbornness, and refused to look away. 

“I’m bored.” 

Dream knew he was lying. Of course he did, it was the same lie he told himself whenever he added a new item to his shelf. He broke things and put them back together to distract himself, to force himself to focus on problems that wouldn’t make him feel sick to think about, that wouldn’t burn him if he tried to come closer and fix it. He didn’t want to ponder on how Sapnap’s inability to even feed himself was his fault and he knew that the other was the same, finding small, trivial things that no one cared about and making them rob your thoughts.

The pirate watched the nobleman’s face carefully, which for once wasn’t dressed in a smile that hurt to look at. His cheeks were strained and his hands were fidgety and Dream didn’t like the resemblance between the two. He looked away and drew back his hands to his side, nodding slightly as the other broke out a blinding smile. 

He didn’t like that smile.

“Stop that or I’ll throw you out.”

George laughed and if it was anyone else, he would have called it pretty.

~

“Oi, be careful-” Sapnap winced as Dream pressed a wet cloth against his open wound, glaring at the blond who looked at him mercilessly. 

“You deserve that, idiot.” The taller man rolled his eyes, taking it off and unrolling a bandage, “You can’t just go running around with a broken elbow.”

“You've been spending too much time around George,” His first mate pouted, a sour look on his face.

“I-no, no I haven’t.”

Sapnap deadpanned him, refusing to break eye contact, and tried to fight the knowing grin off. Dream scowled, kicking the other’s shin, cheeks slight red as he looked away. The shorter man groaned.

“Definitely been hanging around George,” He moaned, “You’ve become the very violent motherfucker you wanted off this ship.”

“I would never willingly spend time with that menace-”

“Hey Cap’n, you promised you’d teach me how to tie those knots?” George’s head popped into the room and Dream threw a pillow at the other, making the nobleman run out, “Later? Coolio.”

“Dreamie, what are you hiding from me?” His first mate sang. His voice was high pitched mockingly and the blond wondered if anyone would mind if he shot the other a second time, this time somewhere that would make sure he’d never wake up.

“Shut up-” But Sapnap didn’t stop laughing.

~

This was the seventh night, Dream had given up chasing after sleep. This was the seventh night that he had spent with George alone under the stars and he wondered what brings him back every night. It had almost become a habit, walking onto the dock and being greeted by the kind overcast of pitch black and a cool breeze that played with the ship’s sails. Every single time, he would spot the nobleman, waiting patiently for the pirate with his sketchbook at hand, staring at the specks of silver and gold in the sky.

“Which one is it this time?” Dream fell back, lying on the wooden planks with his arms spread to the side. He had learnt that the cartographer had a fascination with stars, the lore and the stories they told, and the pirate liked to listen. It killed time as they wasted the night away, skies becoming paler with every sweet word.

“Hm, depends what’s in the sky tonight,” George said softly as his brown eyes looked at the myriad of hidden art made of flames and dust, “The Seven Pleiades.”

“Where?” The pirate followed the other’s finger which pointed ambiguously to the endless shadow hung over them,

“Can you see Taurus? And Orion’s arrow?” He nodded, “That cluster of six up left a bit-”

“I see them.”

“Good,” The nobleman hummed and dropped his quill, “The seven sisters of Pleiades, winners of Orion’s heart as he follows after them even after death and the children of Atlas who’s burdened from carrying the sky.”

“I only see six,” Dream counted them out loud and patiently waited for the other to continue.

“You need a telescope to see the seventh sister. They call her the Lost Pleiad,” George’s voice was gentler than the winds, “She fell in love with the wrong mortal and was cursed to be forgotten. Ashamed, she became invisible to the naked eye.”

Invisible and outshone by her other sisters, he didn’t say. Slipping away into the darkness because they all told her she was wrong and if she stopped to shine a little brighter, the other stars would rain down on her parade. She had lost herself in stardust and lovelier nebulas and she made no effort to find her way back.

“Well she’s pathetic,” Dream grumbled.

“And why’s that?”

“Why-why would she be ashamed? Love is love, you don’t just hide that shit.”

George laughed, sweet and airy in a way that made Dream’s heart squeeze, and the other man shook his head as if he had expected him to say that. The blond watched the other’s hands move up to cover his mouth as he giggled, kind creases on the corner of his lips. His hair looked a little darker under the night sky, ruffled by the breeze, but his eyes were warm and were lit up.

Dream didn’t understand George, not a bit. He didn’t understand why the other was here, he didn’t understand why he was here with him. He didn’t understand his own heart and he didn’t know how to. He wanted to, he didn’t like how uneasy he felt around the other man, caught in some allure that made him gravitate to the nobleman. But at the same time he looked forward to this, being around the other. There was no rush to figure anything out as George waited patiently, pushing nothing onto him and let him do things at his own pace. The other acted as if they had all the time in the world and Dream was worried they didn’t.

He wondered what would happen if they ran out of stars, if they ran out of stories. What would they do in quiet nights where sleep was a concept for the dead? He needed these nights so he could be just a little closer to the other, so he could calm the emptiness when they weren't together.

He felt a hand rest on his and refused to look at him. He felt a small squeeze and his chest warms and heartbeat picked up in a way it shouldn’t. It became easier to breathe when the other shuffled closer, content and not asking for anything more than Dream just being there beside him. He squeezed back.

“No, we really shouldn’t,” George mumbled and he ignored how the cartographer was looking at him. 

There were millions of stars, a million stories for each one. If they did run out, if they did listen to every single one, Dream hoped that by then, by then he’d be ready.

**Author's Note:**

> 'lo,  
> This fic isn't at my usual quality and I'm sorry but I just got exhausted trying to make it better. There's no plot and the concept I wanted to do just started to annoy me. Sorry if you guys expected more, the next one will (hopefully) be better and there's this threeshot idea that's been living in my head recently so hopefully that'll turn out better.  
> Holidays are in a week so Day 6 will probably come out before that (it's crack taken seriously so yay!). Thank you for all the support recently, I literally melt whenever I get a comment.  
> xoxo Winter
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/yourlazykitkat) & [tumblr](https://yourlazykitkat.tumblr.com/)


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